FAU renews contract of instructor in Jesus case

Florida Atlantic University plans to keep Deandre Poole, the instructor whose controversial assignment about Jesus created a national firestorm.

Poole, a non-tenured communications instructor, was placed on paid leave in late March after receiving death threats for an assignment that got dubbed "stomp on Jesus" in the national media.

But FAU officials said Friday his annual contract will be renewed. He will teach this summer and fall online only while the university assesses whether his safety is in jeopardy, said Heather Coltman, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters.

She said the university made the decision after talking with students in his class, faculty members and a security consultant.

"We thought it was in the university's best interest," Coltman said. "We need experienced, qualified faculty members, and all things considered, we decided he would be a valuable asset to the college."

Coltman added, "I understand this decision may not be popular with all members of the community, but it was based on months of thorough research and consideration."

Poole said he's ecstatic to have his job back. He said people mistakenly believed the assignment was anti-Christian. He said he never used the word "stomp" and followed verbatim an assignment in a textbook written by a professor at a Christian college.

"I was extremely alarmed by all the misinformation that was out there," he said. "So many individuals rushed to judgment without having all the facts."

During a class assignment on symbolism, Poole asked students to write "J-E-S-U-S" on a piece of paper, place it on the floor and them step on it. The assignment angered one student who complained to administrators and the media.

FAU initially defended the assignment but once it started receiving criticism in the national media, the school reversed course and apologized. It promised never to use the assignment again.

That pledge alarmed faculty, who say administrators don't make decisions about what course work is taught.

"My intent was not to tell faculty what they could or couldn't do but to defuse the situation," former President Mary Jane Saunders said.

Saunders resigned as FAU president in May, citing negative media attention of this incident and several other controversies.

It's unclear whether the Jesus assignment will be used again. Coltman said the university will have a series of meetings on academic freedom and how to best deal with subject matter that might be controversial.